Book One: Limbus
by C.S. Isui
Summary: Limbus: Limbo is reserved for the wandering souls who cannot enter heaven. Some of them stay where they are, peaceful and dormant, accepting their fate but not all that are lost remain lost. Some want to be found. Will Mai, Naru, and the gang find what is lost before its too late?
1. Chapter 1: The Nature of a Case

Hey guys,

To those of you who follow me as an author, as you can see, I have been busy with another fandom. Yes, C has sidechicks, BUT ONLY ON FANFICS. Im really loyal in real life.

Anyways, I've been roaming my paranormal fandom Ghost Hunt and I decided to post my Deadly Sins series. Hope you guys enjoy! Don't Forget to review!

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 **Deadly Sins series, Book One: _Limbus_**

 **CHAPTER 1: The Nature of a Case  
**

 _Mai was walking scared in an unfamiliar forest path. Yellow gingko leaves fell as she cautiously looked around for any round-shaped item. Her ball, a precious gift from her uncle, had come from an island across the sea and she didn't want to lost it. Her brand new dark blue kimono now had streaks of brown mud as she walked on wet soil. Her eyes now threatened to start tearing up as it grew darker and darker. Mai knew she needed to be home, it was almost dinner time. Trying not to cry, she began to trek back to her house until she catches her green ball floating innocently in the lake._

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"Mai, the cafeteria is gonna serve curry for lunch."

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 _"Curry? That's exactly what I'm craving right now!_

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"ITADAKIMASU!"

"Taniyama-san, although I understand that you lack sleep due to your part-time jobs, I would suggest keeping your sleep talking at a minimum while I'm discussing the topics for your exam."

Taniyama Mai, in her gloriously bright crimson jumper, grew redder when she realized how she looked. Her sweater's pattern had imprinted on her right cheek, her now shoulder-length hair was messy, and her hand was outstretched holding a pen as if it were a spoon. She bowed to her professor in apology and sunk back into her seat. Beside her, a platinum blonde young man with green eyes struggled to stop himself from laughing.

"I should have videotaped EVERYTHING!" he said between chuckles. "You were muttering stuff about jeans and pachinko before standing up and shouting _ITADAKIMASU!_ " The blonde continued to wheeze as he spoke in accented japanese, teasing the caramel-haired girl some more. Finally pissed, Mai pinched him forcefully in the arm, her face contorted in irritation. "Dammit Mai! That hurt." he said, rubbing the pinched spot.

"You deserve it, you pompous jerk. You're gonna have to treat me lunch now."

The boy pouted, his handsome European face mimicking the image of a puppy. He pawed her arm in absolution while making puppy noises. "Maaaiiii, my Mai, Maaaaaaaaaiiiii…"

"Oh stop it, Yoichi-kun."

Mai looked at her seatmate, Bourgeois Yoichi, with a scowl on her face. The half-French-half-Japanese boy pouted in response and continued to paw Mai's arm until she smiled. She rolled her eyes. "You know I can't stay mad at you. But you still owe me food. Yamanaka-sensei is very strict and you embarrassed me in her class." Yoichi chuckled and shook his head. "Fine, fine. I'm sorry. I'll even throw in a large bubble milk tea just to make sure you won't be mad for the rest of the day."

He and Mai had been friends since the start of their year in the University of Tokyo. Having almost all their classes together, the two had grown close over the semester. Yoichi was born and raised in a 'rich Parisian family' and had only stayed in Japan for a year before entering university. He had met Mai in the opening ceremony after she trips in front of him and after finding out that they were both Psychology majors, they immediately became friends. He liked Mai's infectious sunny personality and her quirky but headstrong attitude - a trait that he himself shares with the petite brunette. In turn, Mai enjoys his animated and funny antics. She finds him similar to a golden retriever - warm, sunny, and fun.

The class continued on, this time with Mai awake but absent-mindedly drawing doodles of gingko leaves in her notebook. The semester is coming to a close which means a load of exams will bombard the students before they have a few weeks vacation before the next semester begins. Ending the class with a delightful reminder of a 150 item exam and essay, their psychology professor dismissed them. "Do you think Nanami will help me with the essay? I can't write in kanji yet." Mai looked at her friend. Being new to the deep end of Japanese cultures, Yoichi has difficulties with certain parts of being Japanese. He can write hiragana and katakana well, but he still can't write kanji or even wear a kimono correctly. The brunette smiled. His struggles with Japanese reminded her of her boss at SPR. Her boss that left Japan 3 years ago.

"I'm sure she will. Maybe this time, you guys can do it while on a date!" She answered while wiggling her eyebrows to tease. Tadokoro Nanami and her twin, Kensuke, are the other two members of Mai's university gang. The twins don't share the same degree and schedule but they met when Yoichi challenged Kensuke on a duel at a local dojo. Yoichi was a great fencer but Kensuke was a star athlete in kendo during senior high. The latter, of course, beat the blonde but they remained friends. Nanami joined the fray when she convinced her brother to introduce her to the handsome and charming Parisian.

University life consumed most of Mai's time. Being a scholarship grantee of the university (of course, Yasuhara played teacher and pounded every knowledge he had to her so they can be schoolmates), Mai rarely had time for herself and her part time jobs. University life was fun, but she missed all the time she spent with the SPR gang. Yes, SPR didn't close when Naru, Dr. Oliver Davis, left to bury his brother in England. The helm was passed on to Mori Madoka and the team continued taking on cases. Mai couldn't join them all the time however. Her other job at an on-campus cafe plus her hectic classes made her unavailable. But when she joins them in cases, it would always be a case without ghosts or anything paranormal. Despite being employed by SPR, Mai and Naru rarely talk. The young professor lived in a different timezone and their busy schedules kept them from meeting. Madoka keeps the information flowing, however, as well as the others. But Mai never seems to catch Naru's rare video call meetings. She wasn't sure if it was only by pure coincidence or if she was deliberately avoiding a conversation with him. Everyone in the team, aside from Madoka and Masako, claims that Yoichi might be the reason why - especially when Takigawa Houshou and Matsuzaki Ayako came across the duo at the shopping district together.

 _"If it isn't our little Mai."_

 _Yoichi and Mai had been looking for a gift for Nanami and Kensuke when a certain Monk and Miko duo happened to bump into them at Shibuya 109. Excited to see her friends, Mai animated said hi and introduced Yoichi._

 _"Bou-san! Ayako-san! What a coincidence! Oh, this is Bourgeois Yoichi, a friend."_

 _The blonde smiled and greeted in accented Japanese while he shook the hands of his new acquaintances._

 _"Bonjour, Yoichi. Je m'appelle Ayako." The redhead head said, trying to impress the blonde who smiled some more with a shy blush on his cheeks._

 _"Enchanté, madame." he replied sweetly._

 _After the introductions, Monk called in Mai and gave her a bear hug followed a teasing remark of "Is he why you refuse to talk to Naru?" Mai scowled on confusion. "Of course not. It's just a coincidence."_

 _"Well, coincidence seem to happen to you a lot."_

 _Mai felt like there was more to that sentence than another tease._

 **"I want it back! I want to go back! Let me go!"**

"Mai?" a hollow voice said but Mai couldn't hear. Another voice was shouting louder.

 **"I want to go BACK!"**

"Go back where?" she asked the voice.

"Mai, I didn't say anything. What do you mean go back where?"

"Huh?" Mai snapped out of her trance and looked around. The classroom was already empty and she and Yoichi are the only ones left. Her hand was suspended in motion and her breathing was hitched. Her friend was looking at her with his head tilted to one side. He looked worried for her so she tried to smile.

It can't be one of those voices, right?

Mai needed to go to SPR. She has a 3 hour free period now and somehow, Madoka should have answers. Maybe a way to block the voices away. After all, studying at a school founded in the 1800s is bound to harbor spirits. It could be one of the wayward wanderers of the schools corridors and Mai didn't need those ghosts to disturb her classes. There have been moments when she would tell Madoka about these voices she hears and the dreams she would get. Some have been related to cases they get like the girl who committed suicide after failing her university exams; and others would be because of her location like the one where she heard voices shouting for help during a school trip to Mt. Hiei. Naru's mentor concluded that her abilities have grown and that she is now a hypersensitive radar that involuntarily picks up signals. To what extent, they don't know.

She looked at her watch and calculated the travel time from school to Shibuya station and concluded that she had enough time. Hopefully, Madoka can give answers. If not then hopefully an Irregular could be visiting and she can ask for a charm to help.

"Listen, Mai, if you're done spacing out, I need your help. My dad wants me to visit someone at an office in Shibuya but I don't know my way around. You think you can help me? Im free this Saturday and we can get coffee afterwards. I-if you'd like..."

Mai looked at Yoichi who was fiddling with his ID lace, a trait he shows when completely nervous. She smiled.

"What a coincidence, I'm going to my other part-time job office in Shibuya. I won't take too long. We can grab lunch on the way too!" She grabs Yoichi's hand and the blonde's face turned a shade of lightest pink.

"B-but I was hoping we'd be able to do it on Saturday, you know like a d-date." He muttered, but sadly, Mai didn't hear.

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The train to Shibuya went by fast. The duo talked about school and the upcoming exams and they would be able to manage. Yoichi didn't bother to bring up the date subject, losing all his nerve. Its true that his father him want to look for a colleague in Shibuya but he was hoping to see Mai in a cute pink dress, her hair curled and he would put a newly bought sakura hairpin on her hair like the dates he'd seen on anime. He likes Mai. Ever since day one when they met. He found her cute, kind, headstrong, witty, and beautiful but she was so dense. She can't even figure out that he was already asking her out on a date! Maybe it was hopeless.

"Yoichi-kun, do you know the office your dad wants you to visit?"

They were approaching a small cafe with an escalator moving to a second floor. Mai hopped on the escalator without hesitation and Yoichi followed her.

"I don't recall, I'll check my phone. Wait."

"Meh, do it later during lunch." Mai said as she turned the doorknob of an office. "The chief should be here but don't worry, Madoka-san is really nice. Make yourself comfortable." she said as they entered the office. "Madoka-san, _tadaima_!" Mai called out but received no answer.

The previously cold and gray office now looked comfy and homey as Madoka's transformation consumed the place. On the nearby coat rack, Mai hung their jackets carefully and called out once more. With nobody answering her, Mai plopped her knapsack on the couch and motioned Yoichi to sit. "The chief might have left. She didn't lock the door so she could just be nearby. She can be a scatterbrain sometimes. You haven't met Madoka-san before right?" Yoichi shook his head. He had previously met her other workmates like their university senpai Yasuhara Osamu but he never really bothered to know more about his friend's work. She hasn't been open to the nature of the work either, only that it was a research firm.

"I guess we'll have to wait a bit. Will that be okay with you?" Mai asked, suddenly embarrassed by inviting her friend into an empty office. Yoichi's comforting smile made her feel at ease though. "No, I don't mind." he said, "You office looks so comfy."

"Really? Well, Madoka-san made sure the place didn't look condescending. Our clients have very stressful concerns and we want to make sure they're at ease. Would you like some tea while we wait?"

The blonde nodded. The tea Mai brews has been the best he had even had and it was always nice to have some of it. He figured that her work might be a psychology research firm given her degree and the talk about stressful client concerns. He looked around and appreciated the homey feel the place gave. Mai smiled and told him to get comfortable before trotting over towards the kitchen where she got the biggest surprise of her life.

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Oliver Davis, Naru, kept tabs on his office in Japan. Claiming that the activity in Japan was unique, he kept the office running, with him as the director. His father gladly allowed him to take the position, seeing the amount of information ESPR received from their japanese branch. Naru was content with letting Madoka take the headship of the research team while he was in England. He was content with just reading her reports, particularly the ones involving a certain girl with caramel-colored hair. He was content. He should have been content.

"Her abilities are growing, Noll. All the cases she accepts are conveniently ghost-free. All of them. She has grown highly cognitive and judging by how the last case went, our little ray of sunshine may also be an empath."

Naru remembers one of the video calls he has had with Madoka. An empath, a psychic, a medium, and a clairvoyant. Mai had proven to be a person of latent psychic abilities before, but not to this extent. He wonders if everything had been a coincidence or was it Mai's psychic that had allowed them to meet in the first place. Naru sighed as he took a can of tea leaves out of the cupboard. It has been three years. By now, he should have been able to let go of what Mai said the night before he left, and yet he can't. He can't let go and he doesn't know why; or maybe he does and he just didn't want to accept it, maybe it was because of her connection to Gene, maybe it was because of her connection to him. Shaking his head and adjusting his earbuds, he continued to listen to an audio book about Kansai while he waited for the kettle to boil. He can still recall that phone call back in his Cambridge office.

 _"Bonjour, je parle avec le professeur Oliver Davis?"_

 _He had just entered his office after a long video call from Utrecht, Netherlands, when Lin handed him the phone._

 _"Oui, je suis Oliver Davis parlant." he responds back in French._

 _"Oh, merci, Dieu! Pouvons nous parler en anglais?"_

 _"Si c'est ce que vous préférez."_

 _The line went silent for a few seconds before the voice began to speak again. "My name is Pierre Bourgeois and right now, my wife and I need your help. A colleague of mine referred your research society when I was fussing over a problem I have in an overseas estate I am planning to turn into a resort. I am hoping we can get your expertise to help us."_

 _Naru resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. Cases were usually forwarded to his father, Martin Davis, and not him. He may be a prodigy but he doesn't run the Society and the cases they accept. Not like when he was in Japan._

 _"I'm very sorry, Monsieur Bourgeois but all case requests must be forwarded to Dr. Martin Davis's secretary as I am not in the position to accept cases in behalf of ESPR." he said, hoping that would end the call. Unfortunately, that was not the case._

 _"I understand, Professeur Davis, but your father has redirected me to you since he said that you are the director of the branch in Japan." Naru almost dropped the phone but asked the client to continue. "After approving my request, he mentioned that I need to get in touch with you since the investigation will happen in Japan." Naru could hear the agitation in the man's voice. He can feel the gravity of the case but he was reluctant to accept it._

 _"Please! I, we, ma femme et moi, ma famille, nous avons désespérément besoin de l'aide! S'il vous plaît, professeur! Je paierai n'importe quel montant!" Pierre Bourgeois' voice broke as he reverted his speech to his native tongue, desperately asking for help. The line goes silent after a while before his voice returns. "2 people were almost killed in my estate. If a death happens and my family's name is involved, it will not be easy for me and my company. Not to mention my family's safety. Please, professor. I implore to take the case."_

 _Lin watched as Naru conversed with the Frenchman with slight amusement. The young man, now aged 20, he has been making breakthroughs in the field parapsychology, more than anyone in history, debunking multiple claims regarding the paranormal and creating more and more insight in the subject as a science that branches psychology and physics together. He is proud of his charge and somehow feels a surge of nostalgia as he recalls the times when the young man was just a young boy. In fact, it amused him when he saw a sudden and subtle change in the professor's demeanor and wonders what the client had told him. Lin Koujo continued to observe until the call was concluded and Naru let out a sigh._

 _"Lin, we are going to Japan."_

Naru watched the as steam slowly raised from the electric kettle. He leaned over the counter and opened his black book showing a profile of their latest client. A man around the age of 50 looked back from the photo. He had the peculiar coloring of platinum blonde hair and kind bespectacled green eyes. At first glance, the man does not look like much but Pierre Bourgeois is a major player in La Défense, the French version of the American Wall Street. This man is as vicious as any fierce competitor in the world of stocks and finance. Naru continued to listened to his audio book and wondered how the case would go until he felt a presence open the kitchen's door.

"N-NARU?!"

Chocolate brown meets sapphire blue and the air in the kitchen became warmer as steam continued to leak from the kettle.

"What… what are you doing here?"

Naru couldn't help but smirk at the brunette. Her surprised reaction was something he had missed to see and seeing her in person felt refreshing.

"What else but a potential investigation, Mai?"

Mai can't help but feel disappointed. Of course Naru came back to Japan for business. Naru is Naru and his number one priority will be his research. Despite having no prior notifications of his return, Mai was relieved to see him, but irritated at the same time. 3 years of nothing but business and suddenly he pops up like a ghost out of nowhere.

"It's impolite to stare, Mai."  
"Mai, is everything ok?"

A voice coming from behind Mai overlapped his teasing reprimand. Suddenly, a handsome man appeared behind her. He had a striking resemblance to their French client and the accented Nihongo proved he was foreign; his eye shape, however, was Japanese despite the green color. Naru immediately deduced that this was the son his French client mentioned. Madoka's reports didn't lie about the girl's inhuman cognitive prowess. Her abilities have increasingly developed but he never expected it to be at this level. The extent of Mai's development was a surprise, but, the hand that placed itself protectively on Mai's shoulder, was even more surprising - and infuriating.

"I-I am quite alright, Yoichi-kun." Mai said, patting the hand. She turns her attention to blonde and smiled. "Erm… Yoichi-kun, this is the director of SPR, Shibu -"

 _"Dr. Oliver Davis. Ton père m'a envoyé, monsieur Bourgeois."_ Naru snapped which more force than he intended. Mai's eyes grew wide, same as Yoichi's. The blonde looked at Mai and Mai looked back at him and they both looked at Naru with stunned faces. Mai doesn't speak much French, only curses that have been playfully taught by Yoichi but the way Naru addressed him was very formal and professional. He must be the business Naru was talking about and Naru must be the colleague Yoichi's father asked him to visit.

"Y-you're the Oliver Davis my father sent?" Yoichi asked in Nihongo. Naru only nodded in response before snapping his black book close. "Monsieur Bourgeois, we need to talk about your family estate in Kansai." he said.

Mai stood frozen as they two exited the room. She watched as her friend followed her boss with a weirded out look in his face.

 _This is way too much of a coincidence._

"Mai," Naru called out, keeping the kitchenette door open, "Tea."

Yoichi sat awkwardly as Mai served tea. His eyes wandered around the room as they waited for Mai to finish serving. The girl told him that their office chief was a bubbly pink-haired woman named Madoka, not this black-clad guy who looked no older than himself. The pale, blue-eyed man was nothing like the Oliver Davis he imagined. He imagined someone who looked like a cross between Albert Einstein and Zak Bagans - a buff wild haired grandpa in a black lab coat; not a model for a formal men's wear magazine.

Mai on the other hand, didn't know how to gauge the situation. She was still in shock about Naru's sudden and unannounced arrival and the strange coincidence about Yoichi being a client. Placing a jar of honey beside the pot of tea she made, she watched as Naru settled on his seat elegantly while observing her friend.

"Don't worry about it, Yoichi-kun," Mai said as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. He seemed frozen while Naru observed him. "Naru will just have to ask you a few questions that way we'll know what to do. Just try to relax, ok?" The blonde smiled.

"I didn't know you work for a paranormal research society." he asked. Mai scratched the back of her head with a sheepish look on her face. "You never asked. Besides, it's not too much of a big deal."

"Your office certainly doesn't radiate that whole horror vibe, though." Yoichi looked around, even poking one of the lacy throw pillows that littered the couch he was sitting on. "I didn't expect the place to be so… so... "

"...Bright and cheerful? Why? Did you think we'd have pentagrams, skulls, black candles, and an in-progress Frankenstein monster? This is a scientific research society, Yoichi-kun, not an occult goth club."

Mai gave a very amused giggle, which didn't sit well for her boss. "Mai, instead of lollygagging, might I suggest you take notes? Lin and Madoka will arrive shortly, but I don't pay you to dawdle around."

The brunette's face turned red with rage and her cheeks puffed up in anger. Naru was back, alright, and so was his attitude. Of course, Mai being Mai didn't stand for such behavior.

"Well, excuuuse me, _Dr. Davis_ but you're the one who came back without a warning. What did you expect? Things continued on without anything? And here I thought you were smart."

Naru sighed and tried to hide his smirk. Mai hasn't changed. She was still the spunky, loud-mouthed girl from 3 years ago and for him it's comforting that despite the 3 years that passed, some things were still consistent to what he expected. He looked at the brunette as she grabbed a notebook from her knapsack and opposite to their client.

"Your father tells me your estate is having issues that are paranormal in nature," Naru began. "Tell me everything you can."

Yoichi looked at Mai who gave him an encouraging smile. She has her hand poised on her notebook looking as if she had done this many times before. "My parents bought this estate up in Kansai last year." he started. "It's a huge estate and they were planning build a country house there, as well as a spa resort near the lake inside the estate. There are ghost stories in the estate about this little spectre girl who shows up in the forest but nothing too scary. Until recently."

An overwhelming sense of panic engulfed Mai. She looked at Naru who kept his focus on Yoichi. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move, it was like her whole body was frozen somewhere dark and clammy. Shaking the feeling off, she calmed herself down and tried to focus on the notes she was taking.

"I went to visit _maman_ last weekend. Remember I invited you, Nanami and Kensuke too? I wanted to show you the place since they have started with the construction of the resort?" Mai tried to nod and Yoichi continued to talk. "Well, even though you guys declined, I still went." he hesitated to continue and looked at Mai. She can sense confusion and disbelief from her friend.

 _He thinks we won't believe him._

Urging him to continue, Mai smiled. "It's okay, Yoichi-kun. We believe you, don't worry. Keep going."

"My maman said there has been a lot of things happening to the place. Dangerous things." he said after taking a deep breath. "When I asked her what things, she said there have been incidents in the construction site. Tools went missing or moved into different areas, laughter can be heard from nowhere, and accidents happened. One of our workers almost got killed when one of the beams for the resort house fell despite being sturdy, another almost got his hand sliced off when one of the mechanical circular saws suddenly operated despite having no electricity. Even my mother wasn't spared when she received hand shaped bruises around their legs. I didn't experience anything dangerous, but in the forest path to the lakeside, there was this feeling I got that felt similar to having someone play hide and seek with you."

The blonde clasped his teacup tightly. "Sometimes, I feel the same sensation when I'm alone. Like it followed me, or something."

 **"Help me go back."**

"N-naru… I think he's right." Mai muttered.

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ALRIGHT!

Don't forget to post reviews, ok, guys?

C.


	2. Chapter 2: Maison Du Papillon

**Hello my Ghost Hunt readers!**

 **Thank you so much for all the kind words I received when I first posted Limbus! I hope you'll be able to stay until the end.**

 **And so without further ado, CHAPTER 2!**

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 **Chapter 2: Maison du Papillon**

Mai sat comfortably inside the 6-seat off roader Lin drove down the almost empty Meishin Expressway to Otsu. When Yoichi gave them the location of the estate Mai was ecstatic because she had been hoping that Yoichi's place would be near Kyoto. After all, Kansai was a big area and it had so many cities. Lucky, the lakeside City of Otsu was the location of _Maison du Papillon_ or The Butterfly House - the Bourgeois family estate. The location itself was hard to pinpoint on the map since Lake Biwa is huge, but Yoichi was more than happy to ride with SPR so he can show them where to go. The brunette gave herself a reminder to ask Naru permission if they can take a detour through Kyoto on the way to back to Tokyo once the investigation is done.

Mai snuggled closer to the woolen scarf that was around her neck and the huggable penguin shaped pillow she brought. The winds of autumn had started to blow and the leaves have begun to change color. Knowing that she easily gets cold, Mai made sure to wear warm clothes like the brown woolen sweater that matched her pink scarf. The misty dawn gave a very comforting feel and she couldn't help but get sleepy. Being seated at a very comfortable position within the car together with the the soft lull of the vehicle as it drove smoothly down the asphalt highway, her chocolate brown eyes became heavy with sleep and sure enough, she had succumbed to the comforts of dreamland.

" _ **Aren't the butterflies pretty?"**_

The sleeping brunette was almost thrown off her seat as Lin quickly stepped on the brakes. The crunch of the wheels of gravel and the screech of the brake made Mai's eyes shoot open in panic. Did they get into an accident? Who's dead? Was she alive? In a panicked dazed, Mai looked around frantically, until she noticed how poised her boss was beside her, unfazed and elegantly typing away at his impossibly thin laptop.

"They say, if you spend too much time in front of a computer, your brain will get fried." Mai said, calming herself down.

"And yet you were the one talking about butterflies in your sleep. Might I suggest you make yourself useful and document any dream you might get in this trip; or else, make sure your filing is as spotless as my handsome face." Naru said, closing his laptop. "Oh and by the way, your friend's cat was in the driveway, in case you're wondering why we came to an abrupt stop."

He then left the car and moved to over to Mai's side of the car so he can open the door for her. Having spent 3 years with his mum has awakened long forgotten manners. It was worth it, seeing as Mai's surprised eyes were a treat to see, especially when she gapes like a fish out of water.

"You look like a fish." Naru said, without thinking.

Mai would pout if she could, but she was still trying to get over the shock of having the Iced Prince of Tea open her door for her. She was also confused by what Naru said inside the car. From what she recalled, she didn't have any dreams - just a random dream of floating yellow things that didn't seem important. It was probably a part of her REM sleep sequence, nothing particularly useful to the investigation.

" _Do forgive me_ , _Your Grace_ ," Mai said, with an extra hint of sarcasm laced with her english. "...but this fish didn't get any useful dreams during the trip so _I'm very sorry to disappoint_."

Naru couldn't resist the urge to chuckle " _I see you have improved your english. Nicely done, if it weren't for your horrid accent I would have considered you have more than one working brain cell inside that head of yours."_ he teased in his most posh accent.

The girl turned a bright shade of red. She was very proud of her english having been watching and rewatching series like Game of Thrones, Sherlock, and Riverdale. She had also been taking advanced speech classes too, knowing that english can help her communicate better. Unfortunately, it seems all that hard work was all for nought since her pompous boss had his standards too high. But what did she expect? This was Naru, not Takigawa or Ayako or John. One has to be on Shakespeare's level to impress that self-important peacock.

Of course, Naru didn't think Mai's english was bad. He was actually surprised that her accent was clean and clear of the Japanese slur. It wasn't perfect and it was closer to American english than the Queen's English but with some work done, Naru believes miracles can happen.

"I am so sorry about my _chat."_ Mai could hear Yoichi speak with Lin who was holding a puffball. The puffball was a persian cat of mixed black, white and gray coloration. It snuggled so well in Lin's arms that it seemed to have taken the liberty and slept there, leaving the tall Chinese man in a position where he had no choice but to hold on to the sleeping kitty.

"Her name is Cosmos, like the flower. I got her when my _maman_ and I moved in. You know, to commemorate stuff. She's really a sweetheart." the blonde fondly explained as he watched Cosmos snuggle into Lin's arms.

Seeing a usually stoic man become all cuddly and cute, Mai couldn't resist the urge ran towards the two and began taking photos to send to Madoka. Poor Lin can only sigh before Takigawa Houshou placed is big hand over Mai's head.

"Woah, easy there, tiger. Can't you see that this is already a very uncomfortable position for Lin?" he said, as she patted the college girl's head like she was still back in highschool. Mai looked at Lin sheepishly, as if to apologize. Lin, knowing Mai was an excitable girl and didn't mean any harm, gave a soft look that tells her that it was ok. The monk smiled and leaned over to Mai.

"You better keep the cat away from Ayako though." he whispered. Mai was about to answer when a stern voice came, reprimanding the bass player for his words.

"And would you want to keep the cat from me, hm?" Matsuzaki Ayako walked to the quartet in her dazzling red heels and designer trench coat.

"Because giving you a cat would complete your spinster cat-lady look and then you'll have no chance of landing a marriage!"

Like a bad new take on the classic knock-knock joke, Takigawa guffawed in laughter, making Mai smile and the red-haired priestess red with anger. She then gave a dignified huff before taking a lipstick-sized tazer from her pocket and zapping the unsuspecting monk.

"I'll have you know, that it was my decision to put my career first rather than my lovelife." she said, crossing her arms and leaving the stunned monk in his wake. She then turns to Mai and gave a meticulous doctor's assessment.

"Mai, sweetie, you're looking better than you did on the plane. How's the motion sickness?"

"I'm doing much better since we started the drive. It's my first time flying so… you know… haha"

The miko gave Mai a motherly smile before nodding. "Well it's a good thing I was able to come with you and the gang. Things are as hectic as possible at the hospital but I was due to some time off so why not spend it with you."

Takigawa Houshou and Matsuzaki Ayako were the first two of the SPR irregulars that caught wind of the investigation in Kansai. The Miko heard it first when Naru specifically requested her presence and the Monk when he stopped by the SPR office later during Yoichi's initial visit. A whole week passed before the SPR team can pack up and leave for Kansai because Mai, Yoichi, and Yasuhara (He learned about the investigation from Takigawa) had their exams. Much to Naru's dismay, they can't leave for Kansai without Yoichi, as per his father's instructions.

"I am glad everything seems to be fine and that the feline was not hit. However, we did not come here to ogle at cats. _Monsieur Bourgeois_ how much longer before we reach your house?"

Naru, looked like death himself as he leaned over the car, his icy blues looking straight at his employees. Sensing that the young CEO was right, Yoichi took Cosmos from Lin's arms before suddenly having himself clawed in the arms by his own cat. Cosmos then jumped down and purred at Lin's feet. Surprised, Yoichi didn't even notice the angry red welts the cat's claws made. He was more concerned that his darling _chaton_ has attached itself to someone it had just met.

"Yoichi-kun?" Yoichi turned and saw a pair of chocolate doe eyes. Mai was looking at him with pure worry. "Cosmos got you good." she said, although the tone is slightly teasing, it was very evident that she was worried. The young Parisian's face suddenly lit up with a slightly pink blush after noticing Mai's concern. The blush grew brighter as Mai held his bleeding arm in examination.

"You should have the doctor take a look at that." She said and turned to face Ayako to fix the bleeding. It was then that all of Yoichi's fantasies of having Mai bandage him up flew out of the window.

Naru couldn't help but smirk as Mai watched Ayako assess the blonde's scratches. The boy was clearly smitten with his brown-haired assistant but the poor girl was just too dense to even notice. Despite not really understanding why, he felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that Mai was too dense to notice anything. He then turned his attention to Lin, whose arms are now full with handling the cat and noticed how it seemed to adore the omnyouji. He made a mental note to make sure he observed the cat's behavior all throughout the investigation.

After everything has settled with Yoichi, Mai was then able to calm herself to notice her surroundings. Giant ginkgo trees surrounded the gravel road of the estate. Its yellow leaves were beginning to fall as the cold air of autumn crept into the lakeside city of Otsu. She marvelled at the lovely shape of the leaves as she counts them one by one as her feet walked over them on the road, her blue kimono contrasting beautifully over the yellow of the leaves.

 _Wait, kimono?_

Mai looked around and saw that the cars of her team had vanished and the gravel driveway was now a small stone-paved walkway dusted with moss. The smell of water weighted heavily in the air and the wind was much much much cooler than what she was used to.

Suddenly, everything became colder. She feels something damp on her feet and gasped as she sees her small sandaled feet covered in grime. Mai began to struggle but with every move she made, the sand and soil beneath her feet began to swallow her whole.

" _Help!"_

The dense mud under her feet was acting like a vacuum, keeping her in place while sinking her slowly. She gasps for air but was surprised when she couldn't. Cold wetness entered her lungs, making breathing impossible. She tries again and again and again but each time, water seemed to just numb everything. Soon, everything went black.

" _Naru, help!"_

* * *

"Give her space to breathe! OROCHI'S ASS, HOUSHOU WILL YOU PLEASE LEAVE HER ALONE!"

Mai's chest hurt like its been heavy with lead. Breathing was hard to do. She tried to sit up but instead, a wave of vertigo hit her and she begins to cough. Amidst her coughing, she notices the white comforter that covered her and the oversized gray shirt that that now dressed her. She tries to inhale and finds the clothing she wore had a very familiar scent, she just can't pinpoint what exactly.

"Oh good, you're awake." Ayako, who had just managed to kick Takigawa out of the ladies bedroom smiled. "You had us worried sick, Mai. You were out for the whole day! I thought you said you'll be alright?"

"I… I…Where am I?" Mai asked, confused. "Are we..?"

Ayako plopped _herself_ down the bed and gave Mai a teasing pinch. "Your friend is quite the prince, owning a house -no, A MANOR- like this! I mean it's stuck in the Meiji era but its so classy! He's for sure gonna make you feel like an absolute princess!"

Mai looked around the room they were in. The room looked lavish with its beautifully high ceiling adorned with an elegant chandelier. The bed she was on was a four poster complete with midnight blue velvet curtains lined with gold trimmings. The room's walls were painted with dazzling whites and golds, decorated with paintings; no doubt sourced from Paris. There was even a gigantic window that, despite being currently covered by the same blue curtains as the bed, gave quite a majestic impression. A huge ornate wardrobe occupied the opposite wall, along with an antique dresser painted with flowers and birds. On top of the dresser was a vase of Peruvian lilies. Nearby was an ornate door, which Mai only assumed led to the bathroom. Everything inside the room seemed to compliment each other, except for the 2 other modern looking beds, that looked like they were recently added.

 ** _"Did you know that those lilies mean 'playful?' He said they remind him of me!"_**

"Im sorry, what?" Mai asked, her vision blurring from the new wave of vertigo that hit her. A hollow voice filled the air and she felt a slightly strong tap on her face, like someone was waking her up. Suddenly, her vision cleared and she sees Ayako looking straight at her face..

"I said, Yoichi-san will treat you like a princess and that you should totally date him. Mai, sweetheart, are you sure you're alright? Do you want something to eat? Drink?"

The brunette tried to laugh, trying to remove the worry from the miko's eyes. "I'm fit as a fiddle. And by the way, Yoichi-kun and I are nothing like princes and princesses. He's just a good friend. Besides, I'm not really ready yet."

Eyes cast down, Mai twiddled with her fingers. Of course she hasn't gotten over Naru's insulting rejection three years ago. He was Mai's first love and to be rejected in that fashion was not something anyone can easily move on from. She tried. She went on mixers with her friends sometimes, tried dating apps, explored the usual dating schemes most people her age would experiment on; but she would always get bored, distracted, or simply disinterested. None ever really lasted even a whole 24 hours. She figured, her heart and mind was not yet ready to move on.

Ayako sensed the melancholy Mai felt. Trying not to make the girl feel worse, she tried to cheer her up by mentioning the one thing anyone liked. "Well, Bou-san wanted to tell us that dinner will be ready soon."

Mai nodded and smiled. She was beginning to get hungry. Standing up she then noticed how scantily clad she was. With a blush creeping in, she tried to cover her bare legs. Ayako laughed. "You shouldn't be surprised! You had your luggage locked and we couldn't get you pajamas."

"Then- then who owns this shirt I'm wearing then?!" Mai panicked, hoping it wasn't some weirdo's clothing. Ayako smirked and turned away before answering.

"Why, Naru owns them."

Blushing brightly, Mai pouted while playfully hitting the miko who laughed along as she teased the girl further. "You should go freshen up. The Almighty Naru has asked to take temperature readings. I just passed by to check on you, so I best move along. The base is downstairs, 3 doors to the left corridor. If you get lost, _Madame Bourgeois_ said you can just ask the maids for the Red Room. I'll see you at dinner, ok?"

Ayako gave Mai a gentle pat in the head before heading out of the room. Now that she was alone, she took a deep breath and let the blush she was suppressing make her face glow.

* * *

Naru sat in the middle of SPR's base room contemplating on what has transcribed during the interlude with Cosmos the Cat. With Takigawa finishing the set-up of surveillance cameras with the help of Yoichi, it was only himself and Lin at base; giving him time to think about the events on their way to Butterfly House. He tries to recall and analyse what happened to Mai, thinking it could have a paranormal connection. First, she was walking over from the client back toward him; then she pauses, her eyebrows scrunched up and her hand raised as if to address a headache; after which she faints and falls but he manages to catch her before she hits the ground; suddenly Cosmos jumps out of Lin's arms and begins to paw at Mai before walking away back towards Yoichi.

His brunette secretary threw up and experienced severe motion sickness during the flight, it being her first. It shouldn't come as a surprise that a relapse can happen after she had just woken up after an hour long drive and suddenly making jumpy, excited movements. But something doesn't add up. Why would the cat paw at her? Was that circumstantial or was it something else? It baffled the young professor.

 _"Noll."_

Naru looks up and sees Lin with the Lady of the House. _Madame Yuriko Bourgeois_ is her name. A lovely woman with a willowy figure and great sense of fashion. She had long wavy raven hair that framed her lovely heart-shaped face. Her eyes held a soft amicable expression and her voice was firm yet kind.

"I hope the young woman earlier is feeling better now." She said, as she set down the tray of tea she held. "My son is quite worried." Elegantly, she prepares the tea and the sweet smell of brewed black tea permeated in the air.

"Darjeeling." Naru said, his nose scrunched up from the scent of his least favorite kind of black tea. Their hostess smiled as she handed him a cup. "Yes, my husband's favorite. Although it is a shame he's not here to enjoy them."

"My mother enjoys darjeeling but I find that ceylon has a more refined taste." Naru simply replies after taking a reluctant sip. "So, _Madame Bourgeois,_ can you please tell me when these accidents began to happen?"

The Lady of _Maison du Papillon_ fiddled with her fingers first before taking a cup of tea and sitting elegantly across Naru. An obvious air of uneasiness surrounded Yuriko as she tried to maintain her poised demeanor.

"I guess you can say they have always been there." She began, taking a deep breathe before taking a sip of her tea. "When we first got this beautiful manor, there has always been a feeling of playing hide and seek. Like if I turn around a corner, I would expect to see something - or someone. For almost a year, one will grow used to the attitudes of an old house. After all, _Maison du Papillon_ is already more than a hundred years old since it was built in 1870s."

Yuriko took another sip of her tea before continuing. "My husband works in finance while I work with art. As a hobby, I restore masterpieces ranging from paintings to dresses to houses. It was during a holiday in Kyoto that I heard about a Meiji era manor and estate abandoned near lake Biwa. I knew that my husband and I needed to purchase the land."

Lin had to temporarily pausing typing in his corner to contemplate how someone can just casually decide to purchase a considerably large lakeside estate. The Davises are wealthy in their own right, but even they consider their land purchases with extreme scrutiny. He began typing again after dismissing his thoughts. Naru remained silent but gestured for the client to continue.

"When we first purchased the place, it was not as dilapidated as I thought. It's caretaker, _Monsieur Takane,_ has been keeping the manor from ruin. Of course, the owner's lawyers were happy to sell us the land since the Hinageshi family has decided to sell the estate after leaving it abandoned since the 1980's. I call it a lucky purchase. The estate itself is just so lovely, that's why we decided to turn half of this huge estate into a resort. It won't be big of a resort, however. Having a small lakeside hotel seemed like a good idea. Were you able to see the construction site on your way here?" she asked Naru who shook his head.

"I can't say we have, _madame._ After all, my secretary had collapsed due to her inexperience with flying." he responded. Yuriko sighed and took another sip of tea. "The poor girl. I hope she gets better soon, though fainting spells are not really uncommon here." she said.

That piqued Naru's interest. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.

Yuriko looked outside the base's huge windows overlooking the lakeside. The base was the house's library and biggest study. Its walls had the glimmer of polished wood combined with the warmth of maroon carpets and Turkish tapestries. It had a high ceiling adorned with an antique golden chandelier. The fireplace was poised elegantly at one side of the walls that were lined with bookshelves filled with leather-bound tomes. SPR's equipment was set up around the desk and the study's receiving area.

"I am not a woman of weak constitution. In fact, I barely get sick at all. However, ever since construction began, I've experienced fainting spells and that hide-and-seek feeling became to feel more and more like someone is watching you. That's how is started, you see." She paused for a while, and rubbed her eyes before pinching the bridge of her nose. "Some of our workers experience fainting spells too. But that's not really much of a concern. You see, ever since the construction site unear-"

Suddenly, the study's heavy doors were opened in a rushed bang and Yasuhara Osamu and John Brown entered with a very unconscious Hara Masako.

* * *

 **And that people, makes up the 2nd chapter for Limbus!**

 **Lemme know what you think and I am very sorry for the delayed update. I'll be sure to be more diligent. Thank you so much for the support and please do not forget to review, favorite and follow!**

 **Love lots,**

 **C.**


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